Wrist stretch on all fours

This stretch is my favorite for the wrist and forearm areas; if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, though, you should skip this one. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Kneel on all fours with most of your weight on your knees.
2. Place your left hand palm down, fingers facing back toward your knee (see figure a).
3. Inhale and as you exhale, gently shift your body weight toward your shoulders.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths. Feel the stretch in the palm of your right hand and forearm.
5. Release the stretch and place the back of your hand on the floor with your fingers toward your knee (see Figure b).
6. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.
7. Repeat these two stretches on your other wrist.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your shoulder blades down and your body weight shifted toward your heels.
• Don’t put all your weight on the wrist being stretched.
• Don’t bounce during the stretch.